Preservation50 and American Express are excited to announce the launch of ARCUS: a groundbreaking community of support for emerging leaders of the historic preservation movement’s next 50 years. Welcome to ARCUS; it’s time for you to take the lead!

ARCUS is a leadership development program offering easy-access, low-cost, cutting-edge leadership short-courses, materials, and networking opportunities to individuals who seek to become effective leaders in the cultural heritage and historic preservation movement. If the movement is to thrive, it requires entrepreneurial, inspiring, and skilled leaders to guide it. ARCUS is where we hope you’ll find them learning and collaborating for years to come.

The ARCUS team is presently designing 25 short-courses. The focus is on the intersection between modern leadership theory and practice and the real organizational and systemic challenges facing the preservation movement. This rich learning experience, coupled with networking opportunities, is designed to introduce you to new ways of thinking about your personal and professional leadership.

Note: ARCUS does not focus on technical skills training; e.g. how to restore a brick building, or interpreting sections of federal preservation legislation. We provide links to such offerings available elsewhere from our Preservation50 partners.

The ARCUS development team is comprised of experts in leadership development scholarship and education and current leaders of the historic preservation movement, including from Cultural Heritage Partners, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers, and American Express, with the assistance of other Preservation50 partner organizations. If you would like to assist in development of course content and pedagogy, please complete this short advisory faculty application.

An ARCUS “fellowship” lasts six months, during which time you will have full access to an online platform with courses and networking opportunities available 24/7. In-person attendance is required at one full-day training/networking session scheduled during those six months. The online portal will become available in November 2016.

We are now accepting applications for the SPRING 2017 fellowship program.Spring ARCUS fellows will meet in Washington, D.C. on Monday, March 13, 2017 – one day in advance of Preservation Advocacy Week. Please apply by February 1, 2017.

ADMISSION TO THE FALL 2016 FELLOWSHIP IS NOW CLOSED. Fall 2016 ARCUS fellows will meet on Tuesday, November 15, 2016 in Houston Texas – at the start of the National Trust’s PastForward Conference. (Attendance at the full conference is not required).

We are designing ARCUS programs to fit your busy lifestyle, whether you are a full-time professional or a student. Online short-courses are pre-assembled so you can take them at your own pace at any time during the six month fellowship. Live courses are offered on a single day, as described above.

At the conclusion of the six months we will certify your completion of the ARCUS fellowship – a professional credential.

We define “emerging leader” broadly to include both ambitious individuals at the early stages of their preservation leadership AND current mid- to upper level leaders who recognize that they need to improve certain of their leadership talents to continue to be successful.

Through the generous financial support of American Express, fees and most costs for the Fall 2016 fellows class are covered, including hotel accommodations for the night of Nov. 14, breakfast (cash stipend), lunch (provided), and all course materials. Fellows are responsible for costs associated with traveling to and from the in-person session. A cost schedule for subsequent cohorts is under development.